Carnation plant named ‘Yoder Charm’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Carnation plant named ‘Yoder Charm’, characterized by its large pink-colored flowers; strong flowering stems; fragrant flowers; strong calyxes that resist splitting; good postproduction longevity with flowers maintaining good substance and color for about ten days in an interior environment after shipping; and resistance to  Fusarium oxysporum .

Botanical designation: Dianthus caryophyllus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yoder Charm’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant, botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yoder Charm’.

The new Carnation is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., and Madrid, Cundinamarca, Colombia, South America. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut Carnation cultivars having long flowering stems, early flowering, attractive flower color and good flower form and substance.

The new Carnation originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1997, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary selection of Carnation identified as code number 1062, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Carnation identified as code number 0646, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.

The cultivar Yoder Charm was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Madrid, Cundinamarca, Colombia, South America in July, 1998. The selection of this plant was based on its flower color and good flower form and substance.

Asexual reproduction of the new Carnation by terminal cuttings in Madrid, Cundinamarca, Colombia, South America since August, 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Carnation are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yoder Charm has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yoder Charm’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yoder Charm’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Carnation:

-   -   1. Large pink-colored flowers.     -   2. Strong flowering stems.     -   3. Fragrant flowers.     -   4. Strong calyxes that resist splitting.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity with flowers maintaining good         substance and color for about ten days in an interior         environment after shipping.     -   6. Resistant toFusarium oxysporum.

Plants of the new Carnation can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Madrid, Cundinamarca, Colombia, South America, plants of the new Carnation and female parent selection differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation were about 8 to 10 cm taller than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Carnation flowered about three weeks         earlier than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Carnation can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Madrid, Cundinamarca, Colombia, South America, plants of the new Carnation and the male parent selection differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation were about 15 cm shorter than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Carnation flowered about one week later         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Carnation and the male parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         had salmon pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Carnation can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Yoder Dream, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,163. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Madrid, Cundinamarca, Colombia, South America, plants of the new Carnation and the cultivar Yoder Dream differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation were more freely and uniformly         flowering than plants of the cultivar Yoder Dream.     -   2. Plants of the new Carnation flowered about two weeks earlier         than plants of the cultivar Yoder Dream.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Carnation, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Carnation.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Yoder Charm’ grown as a disbud or standard-type cut Carnation.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Yoder Charm’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Madrid, Cundinamarca, Colombia, South America under conditions which approximate commercial practice in a single-layer polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Four-week old rooted cuttings were planted in ground beds and pinched about three to four weeks later. During the production time, day temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 24° C.; night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 12° C.; and light levels ranged from 3,000 to 5,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for six to ten typical flowering stems about 27 weeks after planting.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus caryophyllus cultivar Yoder     Charm. -   Commercial classification: Disbud or standard-type cut Carnation. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             caryophyllus identified as code number 1062, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             caryophyllus identified as code number 0646, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.         -   Time from sticking unrooted cuttings to planting.—About four             weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, freely-branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Flowering stem description.—Length: About 81 to 86 cm.             Diameter: About 7 mm. Aspect: Erect. Strength: Very strong,             flexible. Internode length: About 8.75 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous; waxy. Color: Close to 147A, overlain with waxy             bloom, close to 188A to 188C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; sessile. Aspect:             Concave; mostly upright to eventually reflexing and curling.             Length: About 15 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape: Linear.             Apex: Sharply acute to acuminate. Base: Clasping. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Tough, leathery;             waxy. Venation: Parallel. Color: Developing foliage, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 147A, overlain with waxy bloom,             close to 188A to 188B. Fully developed foliage, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 147A, overlain with waxy bloom,             close to 188A to 188B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:             Similar to lamina. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Appearance.—Large single hemispherical flowers; typically             grown as a disbud or standard-type with one flower per stem.         -   Flowering response.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions;             plants flower about 27 weeks after planting rooted cuttings.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity with             flowers maintaining good substance and color for about ten             days in an interior environment after shipping. Flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; spicy, clove-like.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 8.3 cm. Depth (height): About             5.4 cm.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 78, imbricate.             Length: About 5.2 cm. Width: About 3.2 cm. Shape: Roughly             spatulate to fan-shaped. Apex: Roughly rounded; serrated             giving a fringed appearance; undulate. Lateral margins:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 155D overlain with close to 48B. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D             overlain with close to 48B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: About seven, fused. Length: About 3.75 cm.             Calyx diameter: Apex: About 2.7 cm. Base: About 1.9 cm.             Shape: Roughly linear. Apex: Acuminate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Tough, leathery; smooth; waxy,             longitudinally ridged. Resistance to splitting: Very good,             calyxes resist splitting. Color: Upper surface: Close to             195B. Lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About             twelve. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen: None observed.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: About two to four. Style length:             About 1.8 cm. Style color: Close to 155D. Stigma shape:             Linear. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Ovary size: About 1.1             cm by 7 mm. Ovary color: Base, close to 155D; apex, close to             151D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Carnation planted in     soils heavily infested with Fusarium oxysporum have been observed to     be highly resistant to Fusarium oxysporum. Plants of the new     Carnation have not been observed to be resistant to other pathogens     and pests common to Carnations. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant named ‘Yoder Charm’, as illustrated and described. 